1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wheelchairs such as for handicapped or chair-bound individuals, and more particularly to the type wherein the chair and human occupant of the chair can be propelled by a motor attached to the chair and coupled to drive one or more ground/surface contacting wheels so as to move the chair and occupant along the surface.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
For several decades now, and with good success, driveable self-propelled wheelchairs have been used in the U.S. To my knowledge, none of the prior art self-propelled wheelchairs which are structured with a seat only wide enough for a single sitting occupant include structural facilities, as herein taught, on which a second person such as a caregiver or friend can also be transported by the powered wheelchair. Many modern powered wheelchairs have substantial power and range on a single battery charge. They are also capable of traveling at a speed equal to or greater than a fast walk, although the travel speed as well as the steering can be controlled by the occupant. Wheelchair occupants often travel with either a caregiver or friend who must walk along side the wheelchair. The walker (caregiver or friend) can tire or become physically stressed due to the rate of travel or distance traveled, which is a problem.
The present invention solves the above described problem of the caregiver or friend having to walk by providing a platform on which the caregiver or friend stands and is also transported by the wheelchair.
The prior art xe2x80x9cWheelchair with Luggage Carrierxe2x80x9d of U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,029 issued Feb. 20, 1990 to Gain et al is an example of a structure which might be capable of transporting a second person (passenger) on the rear mounted cargo carrier, however the structuring is not the same as that of the present invention and appears to include the major disadvantage of at least semi-permanently substantially extending the length of the wheelchair. The Gain et al wheelchair also appears to be a manually powered wheelchair which would require the person supplying the manual power to work harder to propel the chair since the weight of two people would be carried by the wheelchair.
My U.S. Provisional application for patent, Ser. No. 60/148,890 filed Aug. 13, 1999 is herein incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to wheelchairs, and more particularly to the type wherein the chair and human occupant of the chair can be propelled by one or more motors or other propulsion system attached to the chair and coupled to drive one or more ground/surface contacting wheels so as to move the chair and occupant(s) along the surface. The present invention solves the above described prior art problem of the caregiver or friend having to walk by providing a platform on which the caregiver or friend stands and is also simultaneously transported along with the sitting person by the wheelchair. The platform, in a preferred embodiment, is mounted with hinge or pivot-allowing structuring behind the wheelchair, and preferably assumes a first position and second position each selectable by a caregiver, friend or possibly with cables or the like by the wheelchair occupant. The first position of the platform being one which is horizontally disposed or lowered for being stood on by a rider, i.e., the caregiver or friend. The second position is one wherein the platform is positioned pivoted 90 degrees from the first position and toward the wheelchair, the platform being vertically disposed or pivoted upward (raised) to a resting stored position near the back end of the wheelchair so that the wheelchair isn""t any longer or appreciatively longer than without the platform. With the platform in the stored position, the wheelchair is a normal length and shorter than with the platform in the lowered or horizontal position. The length of a wheelchair, inclusive of the wheelchair of the present invention, is important when trying to transport the chair with sitting occupant in a vehicle such as a specially equipped van or the like, and when trying to negotiate tight corners about obstacles. The width of a typical wheelchair is narrow, and this is true of the present wheelchair, wherein the seat is only wide enough (less than 30 inches) for a single sitting person so that the chair can be maneuvered through building halls and doorways, and this can herein be reference to as xe2x80x9csingle-person-widthxe2x80x9d. The present invention maintains the narrow or single person width, and with the platform raised to a stored position, also maintains the relatively short length allowing the wheelchair and sitting occupant to be transported in a van or other suitable transport vehicle.
My passenger platform is intended to be inexpensive to make or purchase; easy to mount to a wheelchair; convenient to use for riding upon by a passenger; readily storable on the wheelchair when not used as a riding platform, with the stored position allowing normal standard use of the wheelchair by both the chair occupant and attendant who may be standing behind the chair but on the ground. My passenger or rider""s platform is also intended to be safe to use, having a non-slip standing surface, and being conveniently and properly located relative to the wheelchair, the wheelchair wheels, and two sturdy handles on the upper rearward portion of the wheelchair elevationally above the platform and useful by the passenger to stabilize him or herself when riding on the platform. My passenger platform is also designed to function well with the wheelchair, not hindering the normal and expected functions and operation of the wheelchair. My passenger platform combination with a powered wheelchair concept is such that numerous structural arrangements can be used to achieve the same basic end results and thus the xe2x80x9cinventionxe2x80x9d is not to be restricted to the specific details given in this disclosure for example.